Three Custom Color Specialists Lipstick in Limelight, $18.50. Many sheer lipsticks deposit so little color, you might as well be wearing ChapStick. But this smooth formula creates a translucent cherry stain on lips.

Revlon ColorStay Soft & Smooth Lipcolor, $9.99. Some long-wearing formulas can be a drag, literally, on lips. But not this one. It glides on, stays soft for hours, and doesn't require a scrub brush to remove.

L'Oréal Paris Infallible Never Fail Lipgloss, $9.99. When we first put the lip gloss on, it felt tacky. But after a few minutes, the consistency became creamier, like a lipstick. The straight-out-of-the tube shade and shine lasted us about two hours; after lunch, a softer version of the color remained for three hours.

Slim enough for any purse (even a clutch), Chanel Multi-Use Makeup Palette in Lumière Tropicale ($85) is the most well-edited kit we've come across—there isn't a weird bright or blah beige in the pack.